Reginald Heber
Bishop Reginald Heber (21 April 1783 - 3 April 1826) was an Anglo-Indian poet who served as the Church of England's Lord Bishop of Calcutta, now remembered chiefly as a hymnist. Overview Heber, son of the Rector of Malpas, a man of family and wealth, and half-brother of Richard Heber the famous book-collector, was educated at Oxford, where he was elected in 1805 Fellow of All Souls. After travelling in Germany and Russia, he took orders in 1807, and became Rector of the family living of Hodnet. In 1822, after 2 refusals, he accepted the Bishopric of Calcutta, an office in which he showed great zeal and capacity. He died of apoplexy in his bath at Trichinopoly in 1826. In addition to Palestine he wrote Europe, a poem having reference specially to the Peninsular War, and left various fragments, including an Oriental romance based on the story of Bluebeard. Heber's reputation now rests mainly on his hymns, of which several, e.g., "From Greenland's Icy Mountains," "Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning," and "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty," are sung wherever the English language is known. He also wrote a Life of Jeremy Taylor (1822). Heber was a scholar and wit as well as a devoted Christian and Churchman. Heber was consecrated Bishop of Calcutta in October 1823. During his short episcopate he travelled widely in the areas of India within his diocese, and worked hard to improve the spiritual and general living conditions of his flock. A combination of arduous duties, hostile climate and indifferent health brought about his collapse and death while visiting Trichinopoly (now Tiruchirappalli), after less than 3 years in India. Monuments were erected in his memory in India and in St Paul's Cathedral, London.. Family The surname "Heber" is probably derived from "Haybergh", a hill in the Craven district of Yorkshire in north-eastern England, where the Heber family originated. The family held the lordship of the manor of Marton, and was granted a coat of arms during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.Montefiore, pp. 9–10 In 1752 one of the family, Richard Heber, received the manor and estate of Hodnet Hall in Shropshire as a bequest from a cousin of his wife. The bequest included patronage of the parish of Hodnet, Shropshire. On Richard Heber's death in 1766 his brother, named Reginald, who had taken holy orders and was co-rector of the parish of Malpas in Cheshire, inherited the estate. He then became rector of Hodnet, in addition to his share of the Malpas living.Hughes, p. 7 This Reginald married twice; the first union, to Mary Baylie, produced a son, Richard Heber, who became a distinguished book collector and was Member of Parliament for Oxford University. The 2nd marriage, after Mary Baylie's death, was to Mary Allanson; it produced 2 further sons, the elder of whom, born at Malpas on 21 April 1783, was named Reginald after his father. Youth and education At age 8 the younger Reginald began attending the local grammar school at Whitchurch, where he remained for 5 years. In 1796 he was sent to Bristow's, a small private school in Neasden a few miles north of Central London. This establishment provided intensive learning for around a dozen boys, preparing them for eventual entry to Oxford or Cambridge universities. At Bristow's Reginald met John Thornton, who became a lifelong friend.Hughes, pp. 10–11 The pair shared a lively interest in church history and beliefs; a lengthy letter, written by Heber to Thornton, is described by Heber's biographer Arthur Montefiore as being worthy of a learned theologian.Montefiore, pp. 15–16 In October 1800 Heber entered Brasenose College, Oxford;Montefiore, p. 16 (Hughes, p. 12, gives this date as November 1799) Thornton's decision to go to Cambridge was a matter for Heber's considerable regret.Hughes, pp. 12–13 (modern photograph)]] There were strong family connections with Brasenose; Heber's brother Richard was at the time a fellow of the college, and his father was a former fellow. The Master of Brasenose was William Cleaver, a close friend of Reginald senior and a frequent visitor to Hodnet Hall. In his first year at Oxford Heber acquired distinction by winning the University Prize for Latin Verse.Montefiore, pp. 16–18 He began to develop a local reputation as a Romantic poet, and in 1803 successfully entered his long poem "Palestine" for the Newdigate Prize. He had been helped in this composition by Walter Scott, a family friend, before the future novelist's years of fame. When Heber declaimed the poem at that year's Encaenia ceremony at the Sheldonian Theatre, it was given an enthusiastic reception.Montefiore, p. 19 (Hughes, p. 13, wrongly states that the poem was entered for the Seatonian Prize, Cambridge's equivalent to the Newdigate) Montefiore, writing in 1902, described the poem as "the most successful and popular piece of religious verse of the first half of the 19th century". A later biographer, Derrick Hughes, finds its contemporary acclaim puzzling: "It is not a good, not even a mediocre poem; it is leaden".Hughes, p. 14 In February 1804 Reginald senior died, leaving the living of the parish of St Luke, Hodnet vacant; this may have prompted Heber's own decision to seek ordination, though he delayed this for some years.Hughes, p. 15 In his degree examinations he acquitted himself honourably rather than brilliantly; Montefiore quotes a contemporary's view that Heber's main contribution to university life was in fields outside formal academic success, particularly as a thinker, a poet and an orator: "Reginald Heber was a star whose lustre was as steady as it was clear".Montefiore, p. 21 He took his bachelor's degree in the summer of 1804, and was elected to a fellowship of All Souls College, Oxford. He also won the University's Bachelor's Prize for an English prose essay.Hughes, p. 16 European journey Heber and Thornton had planned to follow their graduation with a Grand Tour of Europe. However, in 1804 the Napoleonic Wars made much of Europe inaccessible; the pair delayed their departure until the summer of 1805, and then organised a route through Sweden, Norway and Finland to Russia, rather than the traditional journey through France and Italy.Montefiore, pp. 22–24Hughes, pp. 19–20 In July 1805 they sailed for Gothenburg in Sweden, then travelled northward by stagecoach, via Lake Wener and Uddevalla, to Kristiania (Oslo) in Norway.Montefiore, pp. 25–29 After a short stay in the city they moved further north, through the wild Dovre Region to Trondheim, where they observed the practice of skiing for the first time (Heber referred to it as "skating").Heber and Heber Vol. I, pp. 72–73Montefiore, pp. 30–33 The two travellers then turned south-east, re-entered Sweden and travelled through Uppsala to Stockholm. Towards the end of September they crossed the Gulf of Bothnia to Åbo (Turku), the site of Europe's most northerly university, in the part of Finland then under Swedish sovereignty.Montefiore, pp. 38–40 They proceeded eastwards to the Russian border, and reached St Petersburg at the end of October.Montefiore, pp. 42–43 They spent two months in the city; through influential contacts at the British Embassy they visited places generally inaccessible to the public, including Tsar Alexander's private quarters in the Winter Palace.Montefiore, pp. 49–50 They experienced Muslim worship at first hand, as the city's large Muslim population observed Ramadan; Heber described the crowds gathered for prayer in an improvised mosque as "the most decent and attentive congregation he had seen since leaving England".Hughes, p. 25 Heber and Thornton had intended to remain in St Petersberg until after Christmas and then, if the circumstances of the war permitted, to return home through Germany. Napoleon's victory at Austerlitz on 2 December 1805, and the treaties which followed it, led them to alter this plan.Montefiore, pp. 43 and 47 They decided to extend their stay in Russia, with a visit to the ancient Muscovy capital, Moscow before going on to the regions of the south. On 31 December 1805 they set out from St Petersberg by sledge; the 500-mile journey, through wild and largely featureless country, was completed rapidly, and they arrived at Moscow on 3 January.Montefiore, pp. 50–54 The two were among the last European visitors to see the city as it stood before its destruction, by its own inhabitants, six years later, in the face of Napoleon's Grande Armée.Montefiore, p. 25 In a letter home, Heber refers to Moscow as an "overgrown village";Heber and Heber Vol I, p. 150 it was a hospitable city, and the pair formed friendships with many of its leading citizens and clergy. They left by stagecoach on 13 March, heading south towards the Crimea and the Black Sea.Montefiore, pp. 56–61 This journey took them through the Cossack country of the Don River Basin. Heber sent home a vivid account of the night celebrations for Easter at Novo Tcherkask, the Cossack capital: "The soft plaintive chaunt of the choir, and their sudden change at the moment of daybreak to the full chorus of 'Christ is risen' were altogether what a poet or a painter would have studied with delight".Heber and Heber Vol. I, p. 244 In the Crimea, Heber encountered the region's large Muslim community, and observed eastern manners and practices for the first time. He expressed particular pleasure at being greeted with the oriental salaam.Heber and Heber Vol. I, p. 267 The course of the war in Europe had meanwhile shifted, so that Heber and Thornton were able, on the final stages of their journey, to pass through Poland, Hungary, Austria and Germany to reach the port of Hamburg. On the way they visited Austerlitz, where they heard accounts of the recent battle from the local population. In the course of his enquiries, which included making sketches of the scene, Heber was briefly mistaken for a French spy by local farmers.Hughes, p. 30 At Hamburg the two travellers boarded Lord Morpeth's private yacht and sailed for England, arriving at Great Yarmouth on 14 October 1806.Montefiore, pp. 78–82 Parish priest , where Heber served as rector from 1807 to 1823]] On his return to England, Heber prepared for Holy Orders at Oxford, where he found time for literary pursuits, was active in university politics and led a busy social life.Montefiore, pp. 84–86 He was ordained as deacon at the end of February 1807 and received full priest's orders from the Bishop of Oxford on 24 May 1807. He was then inducted into the family living, as rector of Hodnet;Hughes, pp. 33–34 he was later to describe his role as "a half-way station between a parson and a squire".Heber and Heber Vol. I, p. 391 At first he divided his time between his parish and Oxford, where he continued working for his M.A. degree and fulfilled duties at All Souls. He had not at this time determined his own doctrinal position; writing to Thornton he admitted that he was still searching: "Pray for me, my dear friend, that I may have my eyes open to the truth ... and if it please God that I persevere in his ministry I may undertake the charge with a quiet mind and a good conscience".Heber and Heber Vol. I, pp. 336–337 A High Churchman by upbringing, Heber was a strong opponent of factional rivalry; he eventually found a place around the midpoint of the Anglican spectrum between the High Church and evangelical wings, with perhaps a slight inclination towards the evangelicals. On 9 April 1809 Heber married Amelia Shipley, the youngest daughter of the Dean of St Asaph. He withdrew from Oxford, having secured his M.A., and set himself up permanently in the Hodnet rectory; finding this too small for his wife's liking he had the house demolished and a larger replacement built.Montefiore, pp. 88–93 In September 1813 Heber preached a sermon in Shrewsbury to the British and Foreign Bible Society, a missionary organisation of which he had been a member since his undergraduate days. The sermon ended with what Hughes describes as Heber's first public declaration in support of the work of overseas missions.Hughes, p. 44 He refused an appointment as a canon at Durham, preferring to continue his work in Hodnet in which, after 1814, he was assisted by his younger brother, the Revd Thomas Heber, who served as his curate until his death, at the age of 31, in 1816.Montefiore, pp. 94–96Hughes, p. 49 The employment of a curate enabled Heber to devote more time to his literary pursuits, and to accept an invitation, in 1815, to deliver the Bampton Lectures at Oxford. He chose as his subject "The Personality and the Office of the Christian Comforter"; the series was published in 1822. In 1817 Heber accepted the post of canon at St Asaph, the relative proximity of which enabled the extra duties to be carried out without interfering with his parish work. His main literary task during these years was a biography and critical study of the complete works of the 17th-century cleric Jeremy Taylor; the works, with Heber's critique, were published in 15 volumes between 1820 and 1822. This period of Heber's life was saddened by the death, on 24 December 1818, of his infant daughter after a short illness. Two more daughters were born later, in 1821 and 1824 respectively; both lived to adulthood. In 1822 Heber was elected to the church office of Preacher of Lincoln's Inn, which would require a regular term of residence in London. He saw this both as an extension of his service to the Church and as a means of renewing contact with old friends.Montefiore, pp. 98–01 Hymn writer At the start of the 19th century the singing of hymns other than metrical psalms in churches was officially disapproved by the Anglican authorities, although there was considerable informal hymn-singing in parishes.Hughes, pp. 77–78 Heber, according to the poet John Betjeman, was a professed admirer of the hymns of John Newton and William Cowper, and was one of the first High Church Anglicans to write his own. In all he wrote 57, mainly between 1811 and 1821. Heber wished to publish his hymns in a collection, in which he proposed to include some by other writers. In October 1820 he sought help from the Bishop of London, William Howley, in obtaining official recognition of his collection from the Archbishop of Canterbury. In a noncommittal reply Howley suggested that Heber should publish the hymns, although he proposed to withhold episcopal approval until public reaction could be gauged. Heber began preparing the publication, but was unable to complete arrangements before his departure for India in 1823. The collection was eventually published in 1827, after Heber's death, as Hymns Written and Adapted to the Weekly Church Service of the Year. Betjeman characterized Heber's style as consciously literary, with careful choices of adjectives and vivid figures of speech: "poetic imagery was as important as didactic truth".Betjeman, p. 59 A more recent analysis by J. R. Watson draws attention to Heber's tendency to deliver what he terms "a rather obvious sermon",Watson 2002, p. 240 and to his mixing of powerful description with "a rather trite moralism".Watson 1997, p. 323 A handful of Heber's hymns have survived into popular use into the 21st century.Betjeman, pp. 57–58 One whose popularity has waned is the missionary hymn "From Greenland's Icy Mountains", written in 1819 as part of a country-wide campaign on behalf of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG). Watson describes this as "a conspicuous example of that fervent belief to convert the world to Christianity which led Heber and others to lay down their lives in the mission field",Watson 2002, p. 243 and while widely sung until the second half of the 20th century, it was for instance omitted from the 1982 revision of the Episcopal Church hymnal. Betjeman felt that in the modern world, the words of this hymn seem patronising and insensitive to other beliefs, with references to "...every prospect pleases and only man is vile", and to "the heathen in his blindness bowing down to wood and stone". These phrases and the assumptions behind them offended Gandhi, who drew attention to them in a speech to the YMCA in Calcutta (Kolkata) in 1925: "My own experience in my travels throughout India has been to the contrary ... Man is not vile. He is as much a seeker after truth as you and I are, possibly more so". Other Heber texts remain popular, and the Dictionary of North American Hymnology noted that most of his hymns remain in use. Bishop of Calcutta The see of Calcutta had been established in 1814. It covered much of the Indian subcontinent and Ceylon (Sri Lanka), together with Australia and parts of southern Africa. The first bishop, Thomas Middleton, who had been consecrated in 1814, died in office in July 1822. At the time the head of the Indian Board of Control was Charles Watkin Williams-Wynn, an old Oxford friend of Heber's. In December 1822 Williams-Wynn wrote to Heber, not directly offering his friend the post—the wording appeared to anticipate a refusal—but nevertheless leaving Heber the opportunity to claim the office, should he wish.Hughes, pp. 82–84 Heber had a longstanding interest in the work of overseas missions; he supported not only the SPG but also its more recently formed evangelical sister-body, the Church Missionary Society (CMS), and while still at Oxford had helped to found the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS).Hughes, pp. 16–17 Heber's response to the implied offer was cautious; he was attracted to the post, his interest in distant places having been stimulated by his early travels. However, he first asked Williams-Wynn whether there was a suitable local man for the appointment; he was told there was not. His next concern whether his wife and infant daughter should be exposed to the rigours of the Indian climate, and also if his own health was adequate. After consultation with doctors and discussion with his family, Heber wrote to Williams-Wynn on 2 January 1823, refusing the post. However, within days he had written again, regretting the refusal and asking to be considered, if the post was still available. Williams-Wynn quickly obtained the formal approval of King George IV to the appointment. Heber spent the next few months at Hodnet preparing for his departure; during this period he gave a farewell sermon at Oxford, after which the degree of Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) was conferred on him.Montefiore, p. 103 On 1 June 1823 Heber was formally consecrated as Bishop of Calcutta at Lambeth Palace, by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Two weeks later he departed for India with Amelia and his daughter Emily.Hughes, pp. 86–88 In office The new bishop arrived in Calcutta on 10 October 1823, after a four-month journey. After his ceremonial installation by the Governor General, Lord Amherst, Heber preached his first sermon as bishop on Sunday 12 October, in St John's Cathedral Church.Hughes, pp. 93–95 He faced many challenges arising from tasks unfinished at the time of his predecessor's death and from the long hiatus without a bishop. A major area of concern was Bishop's College, a training school for local clergy founded by Middleton in 1820, the development of which had stalled due to financial and management problems. Heber reinvigorated the project by extensive fundraising, by persuading the government to increase its grant of land, and by restarting the building programme; within a few months the college boasted a library and a new chapel.Montefiore, p. 129 In June 1824 Heber, using a power provided to him by recent Act of Parliament, ordained as deacon the first native Indian to receive Holy Orders.Hughes, p. 105 Heber was interested in all aspects of Indian life and quickly made friends, both with the local population and with the representatives of non-Anglican churches. Occasionally his easy manner and lavish hospitality clashed with the principles of the more puritan and evangelical of his clergy; one such, Isaac Wilson of the CMS, used a sermon to mount a direct attack on the bishop after what he considered were excessive celebrations following a baptismal service. Wilson was forced to apologise after Heber threatened him with a Consistory court.Hughes, pp. 105–106 Travels On 15 June 1824 Heber set out on a tour of northern India, accompanied by his personal chaplain, Martin Stowe, and Daniel Corrie, the Archdeacon of Calcutta. Amelia remained in Calcutta; earlier in the year she had given birth to her third daughter, Harriet.Hughes, p. 104 The general plan was to travel by boat to the upper waters of the River Ganges, then overland into the foothills of the Himalayas before turning south and west, crossing Rajputana to reach Bombay. The journey was almost aborted near to its beginning when Stowe fell ill in Dacca and died there; after some hesitation, Heber decided that the tour should continue.Hughes, p. 113 Early in August the party reached Benares (now Varanasi), the largest of the cities in the Ganges plain, where Heber spent several weeks. It was a wholly Indian city without a European population, sacred to Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists but with a well-established CMS school and a substantial Christian minority. Heber consecrated a new church, and when he conducted a Holy Communion service in both English and Hindustani, a large congregation of Christians and Hindus thronged the church.Hughes, pp. 120–124Montefiore, pp. 138–140 The party left Benares in mid-September. After reaching Allahabad they continued overland, accompanied by an armed troop of sepoys. On 28 November they reached their farthest northerly point, at Almora in the Kumaon region.Hughes, p. 136 Their subsequent path southward took them to Delhi, the ancient Mughal capital, where Heber was presented to the ageing emperor Akbar Shah II in his dilapidated palace; Heber wrote of the emperor as "the venerable ruin of a mighty stock".Hughes, pp. 141–143 In the final stages of the journey to Bombay, at Nerriad, Heber met with Swami Narayan, the region's leading Hindu religious leader. Heber had hopes of converting the Swami to Christianity, but was disappointed in the meeting and finally dismissed the Swami as a worshipper of images.Hughes, pp. 155–156 On 19 April Heber arrived in Bombay, to be greeted a week later by Amelia and his daughters, who had arrived by sea from Calcutta.Montefiore, p. 147 Heber remained in Bombay for four months, and then decided that, instead of sailing directly for Calcutta, he would visit Ceylon on the way. He arrived at Galle on 25 August and spent 5 weeks touring the main cities before departing for Calcutta, where he arrived on 19 October 1825 after an absence of 16 months.Hughes, pp. 158–166 Final months Heber wished to pass on to the Governor General, Lord Amherst, much of what he had learned and observed on his long voyage, and on his return to Calcutta busied himself with a series of detailed reports. He also wrote to Williams-Wynn in London, strongly criticising the East India Company's stewardship of its Indian territories. He was concerned that few Indians were promoted to senior posts, and noted the "bullying, insolent manner" towards Indians that was typically adopted by the British.Hughes, pp. 170–172 Many local matters also demanded Heber's attention: the next phase in the development of Bishop's College, the preparation of a Hindustani dictionary, and a series of ordinations including that of Abdul Masih, an elderly Lutheran whose reception into Anglican orders had earlier been resisted by Bishop Middleton, on unspecified groundsHughes, pp. 167–169Montefiore, p. 151 In spite of the pressures on his time, Heber set out again on 30 January 1826, this time heading south for Madras (now Chennai), Pondicherry, Tanjore (Thanjavur) and ultimately Travancore. One reason for the tour was to examine the issue of caste, which persisted in the church in South India. In Tanjore on Easter Day, 26 March 1826, Heber preached to more than 1300, and on the following day conducted a confirmation service for a large Tamil congregation. On 1 April he moved on to Trichinopoly (Tiruchirappalli) where, next day, he confirmed 42 people. On 3 April, after attending an early-morning service at which he gave a blessing in the Tamil language, Heber returned to his bungalow for a cold bath. Immediately after plunging into the water he died, possibly from the shock of the cold water in the intense heat.Hughes, pp. 178–180 Watson records that a contemporary engraving shows his body "being carried from the bath by his servant and chaplain, the latter immaculately attired in a frock coat and top hat".Watson 2002, p. 239 His funeral was held the next day at St John's church, where he had preached his final sermon; he was buried within the church, on the north side of the altar.Hughes, pp. 181–183 Meeting with Swaminarayan Reginald Heber, the then Lord Bishop of Calcutta, leader of Christians in India, met Swaminarayan, who is considered Supreme God himself in the Swaminarayan faith in 1826. Bishop Heber mentions in his account of the meeting that about two hundred disciples of Swaminarayan accompanied him as his bodyguards mounted on horses, carrying matchlocks and swords. Bishop Heber himself had about 100 horse guards accompanying him and mentioned in his account that this was embarrassing for him. Page 328, 329 As a result of the meeting, both leaders gained mutual respect for each other. Writing Critical introduction by Alfred H. Miles Rev. J.H. Overton, in the Dictionary of National Biography ... describes Heber as a pious, amiable, and accomplished man, whose character is well displayed in his writings — his style always elegant and perspicuous, and his matter sensible and in good taste; but his verse wanting in the "divine afflatus," and his prose in strength and massiveness. From this criticism it is impossible to dissent. His prize poem, “Palestine,” was received with enthusiasm on its recital, and was declared to be the best prize poem that Oxford had ever produced; but merely good rhetorical and descriptive writing in heroic couplets is not an uncommon accomplishment, and this poem can hardly claim higher characterisation. Heber lacked originality, and the power of imagination necessary to produce permanent work upon exalted lines. On the other hand, he had a facility in the manipulation of musical measures which made versification easy to him. An instance of his facility is afforded by the well-known story of Sir Walter Scott’s criticism, and Heber’s immediate incorporation of his critic’s idea. Previous to the public recital of the poem, the young poet read it to Sir Walter, who was then on a visit to Oxford, and who observed that in the lines describing the Temple of Solomon he had failed to note the interesting and characteristic fact that no tools were used in its construction. Heber took the hint, retired for a few moments, and wrote the lines afterwards incorporated in the poem:— : No hammer fell, no ponderous axes rung; :Like some tall palm the mystic fabric sprung. :Majestic silence! Much of Heber’s poetical work was "occasional," and for the production of "occasional" verse his qualities eminently fitted him. "Palestine" was an occasional poem, and for the purpose of its occasion was a success, though it lacks the qualities necessary to secure permanent interest. He was equal to the occasion, but the subject was too big for him. In his occasional hymns he was much more successful. Those which he began to publish in the pages of the Christian Observer in the year 1811 constituted one of the earliest attempts to provide a set of sacred lyrics suited to the Christian seasons; and some have so admirably caught the spirit of the festival they celebrated that they have become identified with the occasion which inspired them. Many have become widely popular, and some must be counted among the best hymns in the language. His hymn, "From Greenland’s Icy Mountains," written for a service at Wrexham Church, at which his father-in-law, the Dean of St. Asaph, preached on behalf of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, and some half dozen others, are at the full tide of their popularity, nearly a century after they were first sung, and seem as unlikely to go out of favour as they were when they first caught the ears, and gave expression to the feelings of Christian worshippers nearly a hundred years ago. In other occasional and isolated efforts Heber showed a versatility which would doubtless have served him had he cared to follow the leadings of the lighter muse. "The Knight and the Lady" shows a sense of humour; the ballad, "O Captain of the Moorish Hold," some dramatic power; and the "Bow-meeting Song," ... the facility with which he could celebrate occasions other than religious and devotional. But it is Heber’s hymns which will keep him longest in memory, and the best of these seem sure of long-continued popularity.from Alfred H. Miles, Critical and Biographical Essay: Reginald Heber (1783-1826), Sacred Poets of the NIneteenth Century (edited by Alfred H. Miles), London: Routledge / New York: Dutton, 1907. Bartleby.com, Web, July 8, 2016. Heber & Gandhi Mahatma Gandh] states that Heber's hymn, "From Greenland's Icy Mountains" appalled him with the lines apparently referring to Hindu (pagan) India (Ceylon was then part of British India): "Where every prospect pleases, and man alone is vile." This statement has become part of the core narrative of Hindu, and even Buddhist and others, objecting to Christian "aggression" against their religions. Heber's hymn runs: :"From Greenland’s icy mountains, from India’s coral strand; :Where Afric’s sunny fountains roll down their golden sand: :From many an ancient river, from many a palmy plain, :They call us to deliver their land from error’s chain. :"What though the spicy breezes blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle; :Though every prospect pleases, and only man is vile? :In vain with lavish kindness the gifts of God are strown; :The heathen in his blindness bows down to wood and stone. :"Shall we, whose souls are lighted with wisdom from on high, :Shall we to those benighted the lamp of life deny? :Salvation! O salvation! The joyful sound proclaim, :Till earth’s remotest nation has learned Messiah’s Name. :"Waft, waft, ye winds, His story, and you, ye waters, roll :Till, like a sea of glory, it spreads from pole to pole: :Till o’er our ransomed nature the Lamb for sinners slain, :Redeemer, King, Creator, in bliss returns to reign. Gandhi said: :"You, the missionaries come to India thinking that you come to a land of heathens, of idolators, of men who do not know God. One of the greatest of Christian divines, Bishop Heber, wrote the two lines which have always left a sting with me: 'Where every prospect pleases, and man alone is vile.' I wish he had not written them. My own experience in my travels throughout India has been to the contrary. I have gone from one end of the country to the other, without any prejudice, in a relentless search after truth, and I am not able to say that here in this fair land, watered by the great Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Jumna, man is vile. He is not vile. He is as much a seeker after truth as you and I are, possibly more so" - Mahatma Gandhi, Speech at a Meeting of Missionaries at the Y.M C.A. Calcutta, Vol. 27 p. 434-39, Young India, 6-8-1925, October 8, 1925 (Source: http://india.indymedia.org/en/2003/02/3105.shtml) "(Gandhi) regretted what Bishop Heber had said about these poor people - 'Where every prospect pleases, and man alone is vile.' He was wrong. Let God forgive him" - Sita Ram Goel, History of Hindu-Christian Encounters, A.D. 304 to 1996, Voice of India, New Delhi (http://www.bharatvani.org/books//hhce/Ch14.htm#37a) "I have read several missionary publications and they are able to see only the dark side and paint it darker still. The famous hymn of Bishop Heber's 'Greenland's icy mountains,' is a clear libel on Indian humanity. I was favored with some literature even in the Yervada Prison by well-meaning missionaries, which seemed to be written as if merely to belittle Hinduism" - Mahatma Gandhi, The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Vol. 27, New Delhi, 1968, p. 436. Although these words caused great offense to Gandhi, it is unlikely that Heber meant to single out Indian persons as 'vile'. What is far more likely, is that he was making reference to the contrast between the fallen state of mankind in general and the undefiled state of sinless nature, a typical theme in Christian poetry. Recognition *In 1803 Heber won the Newdigate Prize for his long poem, Palestine. The poem was later published, and was set to music by the composer William Crotch, who had been professor of music at Oxford since 1797. *Bishop Heber College at Trichy, famous for education and sports, is named after him. *A statue of him, by Francis Legatt Chantrey, was erected at Calcutta. *Another monument to Heber, also by Chantrey, can be seen along the south wall of the Ambulatory of Saint Paul's Cathedral, London. Heber is depicted as a kneeling figure in episcopal robes. The relief on the pedestal represents the prelate confirming converted Indians. Memorials and legacy Although Heber's episcopate had been brief he had made a considerable impression, and news of his death brought many tributes from around India. Sir Charles Grey, an old Oxford friend who was serving as Calcutta's Chief Justice, spoke of Heber's cheerfulness, his lack of self-importance, his good humour, patience and kindness. Flags were flown at half-mast in Madras and Calcutta, and the Governor-General ordered a salute of 42 guns—one for each completed year of the bishop's life.Heber and Heber Vol. II, p. 457 In several cities public subscriptions were opened to raise funds for monuments.Heber and Heber Vol. II, pp. 458–470 and pp. 474–486 In St John's church in Trichinopoly, initially a simple plaque above the grave recorded the date and place of Heber's death; this was in due course made much more elaborate. In St George's church, Madras, a large sculpture by Francis Chantrey was erected, depicting Heber ministering to members of his flock.Montefiore, p. 159 Reflecting Heber's interest in the training of local ordinands, further funds were raised to provide Heber scholarships at Bishop's College; in Trichinopoly a school founded by the German missionary Christian Friedrich Schwarz became the Heber Memorial School. It took four months for reports of Heber's death to reach England. At Oxford, representatives of Brasenose and All Souls opened a fund for an appropriate memorial; this idea was taken over by Williams-Wynn, who wanted a national rather than an Oxford-based monument. From the large sum collected, Chantrey was paid £3,000 for a huge marble sculpture that was placed in St Paul's Cathedral, London.Heber and Heber Vol. II, pp. 493–494 More modest memorials were raised in the parish churches at Hodnet and Malpas. Heber was soon commemorated in print; as well as the publication of his hymns collection in 1827, the journal that he had kept during his northern India tour of 1824–25 was published in 1828 and proved a great commercial success. Less popular was the three-volume biography and letters collection that Amelia published in 1830. In the ensuing years various collections of Heber's poetry appeared. Hughes observes that although some of the lighter verses are neat and amusing, the general quality is such that had Heber been only a poet, he would quickly have been forgotten. He achieved a more lasting niche as a hymn-writer; according to Hughes, among his hymns with enduring appeal are the Epiphany hymn "Brightest and best of the sons of the morning"; "The Son of God goes forth to war", dedicated to the church's saints and martyrs, and the Trinity Sunday hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty". The last one is probably the most widely known of all Trinity hymns and owes a great deal of its popularity to John Bacchus Dykes's tune "Nicea": Watson observes that the tune's "magnificent grandeur carries the long lines effortlessly".Watson 2002, p. 245 Hughes mentions two more Heber hymns that, he says, deserve to be better known: "God that madest earth and heaven" and "By cool Siloam's shady rill". Heber's pioneering commitment to the mission fields was expressed, half a century after his death, by the author Charlotte Mary Yonge: "Heber was one of the first English churchmen who perceived that to enlarge her borders and strengthen her stakes was the bounden duty of the living Church".Yonge, p. 185 He led through example, and through his writings which "did much to spread knowledge of, and therefore interest in, the field of labour in which he died".Yonge, p. 198 In July 1830 Amelia Heber married Count Demetrius Valsamachi, a Greek diplomat who became a British subject and was later knighted by Queen Victoria. Amelia lived until 1870. Her daughter Emily married Algernon Percy, the son of the Bishop of Carlisle, and the younger daughter Harriet married a son of Heber's friend John Thornton.Hughes, pp. 185–188 Publications Poetry and Hymnbooks *''Palestine: A poem; to which is added 'The Passage of the Red Sea'.'' London: Longmans, Hurst, Rees, & Orme / John Hatchard, 1809. *''Europe: Lines on the present war. London: John Hatchard, 1809. *Poems and Translations. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, & Brown, 1812; London: John Murray, 1829. *Hymns Written and Adapted to the Weekly Church Service of the Year'' (principally by Bishop Heber). London: John Murray, 1827. *''Poems, by the late Rt. Rev. Reginald Heber. Hingham, MA: C. & E.B. Gill, 1830. *Palestine, and other poems. Philadelphia: Carey, Lea, & Carey / New York: G. & C. Carvil, 1828; London: H.G. Clarke, 1843. *Poetical Works. London: John Murray, 1841. *Heber's Hymns'' (illustrated). London: Sampson Low, Son, & Marston, 1867. Prose *''The Personality and Office of the Christian Comforter, asserted and explained'' (Bampton Lectures for 1815). Oxford, UK: J. Hatchard, 1816. *''Narrative of a Journey through the Upper Provinces of India, from Calcutta to Bombay, 1824-1825: With notes upon Ceylon,) an account of a journey to Madras and the southern provinces, 1826, and letters written in India']'. London: John Murray, 1828. Volume I, Volume II. *Sermons preached in England (edited by Amelia Shipley Heber). London: John Murray, 1829; New York: E. Bliss, 1829; Philadelphia: E. Littell, 1829. *Sermons preached in India (edited by Amelia Shipley Heber). London: John Murray, 1829; Philadelphia: R. Littell, 1829. *''Sermons on the Lessons, the Gospel, or the Epistle for every Sunday in the Year. (2 volumes), London: John Murray, 1837. *''Noah's Carpenters'' (pamphlet). Petersburg, VA: Evangelical Tract Society 1861? Edited *''The Life of Bishop Jeremy Taylor; with a critical examination of his writings. London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, & Green, 1822. Letters and journals *Amelia Shipley Heber, ''The Life of Reginald Heber: With selections from his correspondence, unpublished poems, and private papers; together with a journal of his tour in Norway, Sweden, Russia, Hungary, and Germany, and a history of the Cossacks. New York: Protestant Episcopal Press, 1830. *''Bishop Heber in Northern India: Selections from Heber's Journal''. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1971.' Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Reginald Heber, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Aug. 28, 2013. Hymns Heber's fame rests mainly on his hymns. These include: *"Bread of the World" *"Brightest and best of the sons of the morning" *"By cool Siloam's shady rill" *"God, that madest earth and heaven" *"From Greenland's icy mountains" (the missionary hymn most frequently printed in 19th-century American hymnals) *"Holy, holy, holy" *"Lord of mercy and of might" *"The Lord of might from Sinai's brow" *"The Lord will come, the earth shall quake" *"The Son of God goes forth to war". See also *List of English-language hymnists *List of Indian poets writing in English References * * * * * * * * *Also see: the Life of Reginald Heber, D.D., The Lord Bishop of Calcutta by his Widow with Selections, Correspondence, Unpublished Poems, and Private Papers; ..., by Amelia (Shipley) Heber (1830); The Last Days of Bishop Heber, by Thomas Robinson, archdeacon of Madras (1830); TS Smyth, The Character and Religious Doctrine of Bishop Heber (1831), The Poetical Works of Crabbe, Heber, and Pollock, Complete in One Volume (1847); and Memorials of a Quiet Life, by Augustus JC Hare (1874). Notes External links ;Poems * Selected Poetry of Reginald Heber (1783-1826) (1 poem, "Epiphany") at Representative Poetry Online. * Reginald Heber at PoemHunter ("From Greenland's Icy Mountains") *Bp. Reginald Heber (1783-1826) info & 5 poems at English Poetry, 1579-1830 *Heber in Sacred Poetry of the Nineteenth Century: "The Son of God goes forth to war," "Brightest and best of the sons of the morning," "By cool Siloam’s shady rill," "The Lord of Might, from Sinai’s brow," "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty," "Who yonder on the desert heath," "The sound of war! In earth and air," "Thou art gone to the Grave," "From Greenland’s icy mountains," "An Evening Walk in Bengal," "The Passage of the Red Sea" *Reginald Heber at AllPoetry (36 poems) *Reginald Heber at Poetry Nook (76 poems) ;Hymns *Lyrics to Heber's hymns, at The Cyber Hymnal *Biographical information on Heber and the lyrics to some of his hymns, at The Hymns and Carols of Christmas ;About *Heber, Reginald in the Dictionary of National Biography Category:1783 births Category:1826 deaths Category:People from Malpas, Cheshire Category:Bishops of Calcutta Category:Christian hymnwriters Category:English hymnwriters Category:English sermon writers Category:English poets Category:Fellows of All Souls College, Oxford Category:Deaths from stroke Category:19th-century Anglican bishops Category:Alumni of Brasenose College, Oxford Category:19th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets Category:Anglo-Indian people Category:Indian poets Category:Christian poets Category:Hymnists